Cheap FM transmitting car play / android auto devices for the car?

B0bbyEwing

First off, I already have something that resembles this, so I'm not just asking for any old FM transmitter. 

With the car I've got, story short I really don't want to be putting too much money in to it as it's just a temporary thing. No idea what I'll get next, obviously. The next car could be a single DIN unit, double DIN, who knows, so I'm also not wanting to buy anything ahead of time only for it to not fit (that's more on the double DIN side I know).

I also wasn't really wanting to faff about with fascias - hence looking at something 12v & easily detachable.

What I DID want was-
* something that will play my music via the car speakers via bluetooth
* a screen - for navigation. 

And so I bought this. Cheap enough, reasonable reviews & seemed to tick the boxes. However it's going to have to go back.

It seems to navigate ok. Only Waze rather than Waze AND Google Maps which is a tad annoying but I can live with that.
What I can't live with is the music doesn't play fluid. At first I thought it was only when Waze was also running so I turned Waze off & the music was fine for like 5 mile but then the issue started happening again.

The issue is that music comes in and out. It'll play for literally a half second & then nothing, get a half second, nothing, like an annoying tick-tick-tick-tick. 

It may well be a faulty unit or this may be how this one is & the reviews may be bogus. I've no idea. I don't fancy a merry go round, sending back, exchanges, sending back etc to find out.


Which brings me here - reaching out to see if any of you have bought something similar that doesn't cost the earth & it 'just works'?

flaneurs_lobster

B0bbyEwing said:

Which brings me here - reaching out to see if any of you have bought something similar that doesn't cost the earth & it 'just works'?

Didn't need to buy anything (other than a vent mount), smartphone does navigation and music playing via bluetooth.

ButterCheese

These units are making a very big entrance via Temu and Amazon.  I've seen some as cheap as £20.  At that price you are taking a bit of a chance but in my experience the returns policy is exceptionally good if it doesn't work properly.  I've seen loads of reviews for these Android "no install" head units; the cheapest ones seem to suffer in terms of screen (glitchy, slow or sometimes don't work) and laggy software.  They are going to be using the cheapest software and internals to even break even on £20-£30 so you shouldn't expect too much.  There is a brand beginning with "E" which I can't remember, that is at the £89-£99 mark, which get better reviews.

However, the sound quality is always going to be compromised.  You'd be better off getting a BT head unit (I've seen them as cheap as £8) and then using your phone for screen/navigation.  I bought a no-name BT head unit 5 years ago for £19 and in terms of sound quality and features, it was every bit as good as my previous Pioneer which was 6 times more expensive.

The moral of my story is; if you're paying cheap for a do-it-all unit (music, BT, screen) then some or all of the compenents are going to be severaly compromised.  If you just buy a head unit that can easily handle the BT and music side, it's a better option IME.  Let your phone take the strain with the rest (screen, navigation) as you've already paid for it and it's designed to do those things really well.

ButterCheese

And just to add - if you want something that "just works" then the top brands (Sony, Pioneer, JVC) do them, but they are £300+.  And I'm not even sure they will be 100% reliable yet

B0bbyEwing

Yeah I fully expected it to not be the sickest thing at that price but it was surprisingly responsive. 


Anyway, for the just use your phone lot - 

Can you tell me how I then get navigation on a screen that's larger than my phones is? 

Thank you. 

Cisco001

B0bbyEwing said:

Yeah I fully expected it to not be the sickest thing at that price but it was surprisingly responsive. 


Anyway, for the just use your phone lot - 

Can you tell me how I then get navigation on a screen that's larger than my phones is? 

Thank you. 

I generally listen but not starring at the screen for sat nav...

ButterCheese

B0bbyEwing said:

Yeah I fully expected it to not be the sickest thing at that price but it was surprisingly responsive. 


Anyway, for the just use your phone lot - 

Can you tell me how I then get navigation on a screen that's larger than my phones is? 

Thank you. 

You can't.  Your options are to buy a cheap one that doesn't work very well, or buy an expensive one that does.  IMO big screens are a distraction anyway, and shouldn't be heralded as "the next big thing".  Voice commands on google are very good, and if you need to quickly glance at the screen, a 6" phone screen is more than adequate to see the next turn

QrizB

Are my immediate family and I the last people in the UK using a TomTom for navigation?

I've got a TomTom Go 40, with a 4" screen, and it is perfectly adequate for navigation. My wife has a 5" one, only because they seem to have stopped making 4" ones.

ButterCheese said:

IMO big screens are a distraction anyway, and shouldn't be heralded as "the next big thing".

Agreed, big screens in cars are a dangerous distraction.

flaneurs_lobster

QrizB said:

Agreed, big screens in cars are a dangerous distraction.

Rubbish, they're the ideal size for catching up with Stranded on Honeymoon Island while stuck in slow-moving traffic on the South Circ.

B0bbyEwing

ButterCheese said:

B0bbyEwing said:

Yeah I fully expected it to not be the sickest thing at that price but it was surprisingly responsive. 


Anyway, for the just use your phone lot - 

Can you tell me how I then get navigation on a screen that's larger than my phones is? 

Thank you. 

You can't.  Your options are to buy a cheap one that doesn't work very well, or buy an expensive one that does.  

Yeah that's what I came here for but the question is kind of getting ignored & people are just telling me what they like doing. 

Which is marvellous and all.....but totally not what I asked. May as well just tell me what they're having for tea tonight as it'd be just as much help. 

debitcardmayhem

B0bbyEwing said:

ButterCheese said:

B0bbyEwing said:

Yeah I fully expected it to not be the sickest thing at that price but it was surprisingly responsive. 


Anyway, for the just use your phone lot - 

Can you tell me how I then get navigation on a screen that's larger than my phones is? 

Thank you. 

You can't.  Your options are to buy a cheap one that doesn't work very well, or buy an expensive one that does.  

Yeah that's what I came here for but the question is kind of getting ignored & people are just telling me what they like doing. 

Which is marvellous and all.....but totally not what I asked. May as well just tell me what they're having for tea tonight as it'd be just as much help. 

Since you are interested, roast pork sandwiches with stuffing and apple sauce, and a can(or more) of San Miguel. 
Maybe a cheap/recon tablet e.g. Fire and a bracket